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The Calliope Author Readings: a Selection of the 20th Century’s Best Writers in Their Own Voice

November 18, 2013

The Calliope Author Readings, which began fifty years ago and originally produced in part by Harry and Lynne Sharon Schwartz, is an audio project that recorded some of the 20th century’s greatest authors reading their own work. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary, a handful of the original author recordings were reissued in November on CD and digital download. On 16- to 18-minute tracks are readings by James Baldwin, William Styron, Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth, John Updike, and more, each sampling from some of their greatest works.

The reissue allows new audiences to appreciate the unique opportunity to hear some of the greatest names in modern literature read their own work. The audio readings will be distributed under the Calliope label to bookstores, libraries, area schools, and directly to consumers through a website and downloadable links. The Chicago DailyNews commented that each recording has “the unmistakable stamp of personal passion.” And The Boston Globe, when the readings first aired fifty years ago, dubbed them a “notable addition to the pleasures of being read to.” Now this re-release presents a unique opportunity to hear some now deceased authors read from the literary great works of our time. The CDs can be found at the AGNI table at the upcoming AWP Conference and Bookfair in Seattle.